Arakimentari (2004) User Reviews

Good look at an off beat character

[dbborroughs · 8/10 · 26 August 2007]

The life and work of Japanese photographer Nobuyoshi Araki. Mostly known for his erotic or perhaps pornographic photos its clear from this film that there is more to the man than just dirty pictures. Coming a cross as a charming rogue its clear that Araki loves what he's doing, which is photographing everyone and everything at all times. There is a comment by one of his fellow photographers to the effect that Araki is more than his erotic pictures and that there is nothing that he doesn't know about photography. Seeing his images whizzing by in the film its clear the statement is true as we see the vast range of his work that stretches from the mundane to flowers to portraits to porn to whatever else you can think of. He's an amazing man that I'm certain will worm his way into the hearts of anyone who sees the film. If there is a flaw to the film its perhaps its rapid fire, hip and happening style, which may capture Araki's manic energy, but some how short changes some of the images (and ideas) since many are too good to let get lost

Rousing and inspiring

[christopher-underwood · 9/10 · 21 August 2005]

Marvellous, rousing, affecting and inspiring documentary on the infamous Japanese photographer, Araki. Not totally convinced by the DJKrush original soundtrack or the editing but nothing can take from the content dominated by the impish little man with a camera and enough enthusiasm to carry the film himself. In fact he gets help from the likes of Bjork, Richard Kern and Takeshi Kitano and the whole party goes from start to finish in wild abandon slowing only to cover the photographer's wife's death in 1990. Explicit and controversial covering his bondage work and 'sexy housewives' as well as 'art'. Some philosophy along the way, not all of it half baked and certainly a film to watch should one's urge to take pictures begin to flag!

Open Your Kimono and Smile

[NoDakTatum · 10/10 · 28 November 2023]

With over three hundred photography books to his credit, artist Nobuyoshi Araki might be mistaken for an extreme case of quantity over quality in regard to his output. That couldn't be further from the truth. Araki was born in Tokyo in 1940, and still loves his country. He came into prominence in the 1970's, shooting conservative street scenes based on Italian realism. He also married, taking candid nude and sexual shots on his honeymoon and afterward. As he tells it, in the 1980's he rebelled against himself. He began shooting nude models, bondage, vaginal closeups, and actual penetration. Japanese censors would cover up the female genitalia with shapes, or blur out the offending image, so Araki one-upped them with a series he called "Spermanko." The photographer would censor himself by climaxing (metaphorically) on his photographs, covering everything deemed extreme with a white liquid. This is the kind of work Araki is doing to this day, and film maker Travis Klose gets inside this demure man's world. Araki is not a brooding artist, he is constantly laughing and joking. He wears round glasses, his thinning hair looks like a bird's nest, and he is the center of activity in every room he enters. While some professional artists who photograph nudes are careful not to violate the model's space or make them feel uncomfortable, Araki thinks nothing of ogling and groping his subjects. He applies make-up where needed himself, and there are even a couple of shots of him styling pubic hair. He is the epitome of hands-on.

Like Robert Mapplethorpe, Araki is better known for his shocking nudes than his other work. He loves to shoot around his native Tokyo, and in order to deal with a traumatic death in his life, he would simply shoot cloud formations from his balcony. Flowers are another subject, it helps that some of them resemble the female anatomy. Araki was derided by many feminist groups for his bondage series, but the artist has a deep and lasting respect for the female sex. He believes that since we all come from females, they are automatically better than males both physically and spiritually. Some of the talking heads singing Araki's praises include Takeshi Kitano, Bjork, and Richard Kern- a controversial film maker and photographer in his own right. Klose gets some great behind-the-scenes shots of Araki at work. Araki doesn't seem to be playing for the camera, and we hear nothing but positive comments from his exhausted looking models. The most interesting aspect of Araki's work was his heat development series that coincided with the anniversaries of the dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan. Araki took some images and used heated liquid during development, making passe pornographic shots look like something occurring in a nuclear holocaust. Araki really opens up for Klose. The film is short, but extremely interesting. I found Araki to be quite the character. Many viewers will be put off by both his boorish working ways and subject matter, but the film makers should be congratulated for including this in the film. The documentary shows Araki in a positive light, but doesn't whitewash the man and his art. Toss in a great electronic score from DJ Krush and mix it with an overwhelming amount of nude Japanese women, and "Arakimentari" is a fascinating and artistic look at a fascinating artist.

talking heads tell all

[ginkoale · 3/10 · 16 February 2006]

Although the life of the controversial photographer Nobuyoshi Araki, is the subject for a potentially great film, Arakimentari proves to be a fairly banal documentary. The director Travis Klose tags along with Araki in Japan, and presents "a day in the life of" scenario that is interwoven with talking head interviews and standard biographical information. While the film succeeds in displaying the wide range of work that Araki has produced, Arakimentari has virtually no formal or stylistic merits.

At best, this film is an educational introduction to Araki and his work. But for those who are familiar with the photographer, and are aware of the potentials in documentary film-making, Arakimentari may come across as a disappointing investment of 85 minutes.

The soundtrack by DJ Krush however, is worth mentioning.

One of the Worst Docs I Have Ever Seen!

[GongaMan · 1/10 · 30 June 2005]

I must say that when I read the synopsis for this film in the Chicago International Film Fest brochure it seemed interesting. It said that it was a documentary which explores the rich life of a notorious photographer who broke all sorts of new grounds in Japan. I thought that I would go and see the film in order to see how he had been influential and how he caused controversy only to see a film that was horribly disappointing. To me the movie played more as a tribute to a photographer that the filmmakers liked than a true documentary. I walked out of the theater having learned very little. The film is filled with interviews of people who both know and love Araki, people who are all on his side. When there is a controversial subject matter, as Araki's photos undoubtedly were, there are inevitably two sides to the argument. In this film the audience is only exposed to the side of that argument that loves the man and his work. I can't remember one negative thing that was said about Araki throughout the entire feature. In the end I felt as though I had watched a feature length tribute video that someone would show at Araki's birthday party or a family gathering, NOT a film that delved deep into the information and arguments surrounding a potentially rich subject.